‘Christian Heritage Week’ Sparks Controversy In Wash. State

In October, Gregoire proclaimed Oct. 21-27 “Christian Heritage Week.” The Olympian newspaper reported that the governor acted at the urging of a group outside the governor’s office.

Laura Lee Roznowski, a spokeswoman for the Virginia-based Christian Heritage Ministries, told the newspaper, “Our forefathers came here with Christian principles. You cannot take Christianity out of America…. Unfortunately, there’s just been a slow undoing of the ability to just proclaim that this is the truth.”

A Christian Heritage Week of Washington group lauded Gregoire and in a statement from its Web site said its goal was “to bring awareness to adults and students throughout Washington that our nation is irrefutably rooted in biblical principles.”

The newspaper noted that groups supportive of church-state separation have argued that government officials should not issue proclamations or take other actions that advance religion.